Richard Grenell, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany and a close ally of Donald Trump, has called for the revocation of the U.S. visa of Elmar Theveßen, head of the German public broadcaster ZDF’s Washington bureau.
In response, ZDF strongly defended its correspondent, stressing that “Elmar Theveßen’s work is protected by press freedom” and highlighting that press freedom is a fundamental value in both Germany and the United States.
Grenell accused Theveßen of being a “radical leftist” and claimed that he had repeatedly called for violence against people with opposing political views. He urged U.S. authorities to cancel the journalist’s visa.
German Journalists’ Association Reacts
The German Journalists’ Association (DJV) sharply criticized Grenell’s demand, with federal chairman Mika Beuster stating:
“As long as journalists operate within the framework of press freedom and freedom of expression, compulsory state measures have no place in liberal democracies.”
In a letter to the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, DJV called for an end to such threats against journalists.
Grenell’s Controversial Diplomatic Past
Grenell served as U.S. Ambassador to Germany from 2018 to 2020 during Trump’s first term. His time in Berlin was marked by frequent criticism of his often undiplomatic behavior.
U.S. Tightens Visa Rules for Foreign Journalists
This controversy comes shortly after the U.S. government announced new restrictions on visas for foreign journalists. As of late August, such visas will be valid for a maximum of 240 days, and for Chinese journalists only 90 days, compared to the previous validity of up to five years.
